1. Field of the Invention
A grain separator including a mechanical separator and transport assembly to separate and remove foreign matter such as dust and debris from grain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous devices have been developed to separate various contaminants from grain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,274 describes a rotary cylinder separator comprising a slightly tiltable, horizontally installed rotary cylinder, a plurality of combs secured to the inside of the cylinder, in parallel and substantially axially of the cylinder, a feeder for introducing a mixture of grainy material and impurities into the cylinder at one end, an outlet formed at the other end of the cylinder for discharging the grainy material out of the cylinder, and a discharge device for discharging the impurities larger in size than the grainy material and that have been scooped by the combs to a high level and have then fallen within the cylinder. The discharge device comprises a fan for producing an air blast within the cylinder, or a combination of a stationary collection trough inserted axially through the cylinder for receiving the impurities that fall from the high level, and a screw conveyor mounted inside the trough.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,710,380 shows a grain separator including a moving separator surface comprising a plurality of pockets or indentations configured to receive predetermined sized material for delivery to a suitable receiving means. Material too large to enter the pockets is collected from the separator and delivered to a discharge opening. The separating capacity and efficiency is increased by a series of deflector blades disposed to receive the coarse refuse material swept from the surface of the separator and advanced from one deflector to another toward the discharging opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 155,874 teaches a seed separator comprising a belt around a cylinder causing the perforations to retain the cockle and carry it up and throw it onto a descending shaking trough hanging in the cylinder, a revolving brush, arranged over the top of the cylinder, forces any grain that may stick in the perforations out into the shaking trough and a brush on one side of the trough keeps the wheat from being carried up and thrown onto the trough.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,882 describes a shrimp and fish separating machine comprising a supporting frame, an inclined gauge plate carried by the frame, a cylindrical brush composed of bristles with clipped edges rotatably supported in the frame with the clipped edges of its bristles in relation to the plate to form a trough therewith through which passes a mixture of shrimp and fish, and means for rotating the brush in a direction in which the bristles confronting the plate move upwardly to comb through the feelers of the shrimp and become interdigitated therewith to carry the shrimp upwardly over the brush to the side opposite the plate where the shrimp are free to fall from the brush, the fish in the trough being rotated, and means including the inclined gauge plate and brush to move the fish downwardly to a discharge point at the end of the trough.